Laws vary by state, and aren't immune to change, which can render a gurus' system "useless".

I've found that realtors vary based on personality.  

I can't speak for NY, but in Louisiana, taxes can vary a good bit depending on what parish (county) the property is in.

@Andre BeraudIt can vary depending on your lender and your credit capacity, but for SFR you can typically do 4 under your name, then 5-10 goes up to 25%.  

For example different markets are more advantageous for either SFRs or MFRs (some are good for both), some markets will be a lot more urban than others, and the price ranges vary between markets so your budget would come into play there.

This could vary . 

What I'd like to know is why the rent amounts vary so much.  

It can vary greatly from year to year but if you bought in Mountain View CA last year then you are probably jumping for joy since your house appreciated approximately 22.7% on average.

Getting owner names, mailing addresses, beds, baths, etc from the county assessor varies a lot by county, and often involves a fee.

Therefore, any dividends that are paid to you from the SA then become taxable at the dividend rate, which can vary depending on your total taxable income.